Vibratory apparatus



May 1, 1934. K. H. WHITNEY VIBRATORY APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 1934- K. H. WHITNEY 1,956,635

, VIBRATORY APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE Whitmanis Manufacturing Company,

Inc.,

Kirksville, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application December 19, 1929, Serial No. 415,289

2 Claims.

1,10 provide improved means to vary and control the speed ratio and driving connection of the harness apparatus. My invention also comprises certain details of form and arrangement and combination of components, all of which will be fully set 1 forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a patient support and vibratory apparatus embodying my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with one of the side rails detached to expose the operative members.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

1 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the driving motor,

speed changing apparatus and harness actuating means detached.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the speed changing and starting and speed changing clutch mecha- 3Q nism.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of my invention in which 18 represents a patient supporting member, a table for instance which is preferably provided with a perforation 19 at one end adapted to permit respiration on the part of a patient when positioned face downward upon the table. Notches or recesses 20 in the edges of the table opposite the shoulders of a patient are preferably provided to receive the 0 upper arms of a patient positioned face downward. Handles or hand rests 7'7 are also preferably attached to the table legs to be grasped by a patient when facing downward. Recesses 22 at the sides of the table are closed by detachable side rails 23 having aprons 24 which extend downwardly so as to conceal and protect the operating mechanism. Within the recess 22 are mounted a series of antifriction rollei-s or equivalent members 25, which are designed to support and guide harness members, and to hold said harness members out of contact with the side walls of the recesses 22, and also out of contact with the sides of a patient resting upon the table and to permit the harness members to move freely backwardly and'forwardly through said recesses.

Beneath the table 18 is a framework 26 upon which is mounted a prime motor 27, an electric motor for instance, and two countershafts 28 and 29. A belt 30 from a pulley 31 on the motor shaft drives the countershaft 28 through a pulley 32 mounted thereon. The shaft 28 is also provided with two pulleys 33 and 34 of different diameters which respectively drive pulleys 35 and 36 on the countershaft 29 at relatively different speeds by means of belts 37 and 38 or their equivalents. The pulleys 35 and 36 are each loosely journaled upon the shaft 29 and they are respectively provided with cone or toothed clutch members 40 7 and 41. A clutch member 42 is mounted and keyed to the shaft 29 to rotate therewith, and to be shifted so as to engage either the clutch member 40 or the clutch member 41 to drive the shaft 29 at a low or higher speed ratio. When the clutch member 42 is in an intermediate position the motor continues to rotate, but the shaft 29 is not driven therefrom. A manually operable shifting lever 43 has a forked end which engages in an annular recess 44 in the periphery of the so clutch member 42 and serves to shift the clutch 42 to any one of its three positions of adjustment. The lever 43 has a spring pin 45 which yieldingly holds the lever 43 to any position to which it may be adjusted.

Y A crank wheel 46 is mounted rigidly upon the shaft 29 and is provided with a crank pin 4'7 to which is pivotally attached a connecting rod 48. The connecting rod 48 is in turn connected near its opposite end to a crank arm 49. The crank arm 49 is also connected by means of a link 50 with two other crank arms 51 and 52, to cause all three crank arms 49, 51 and 52 to rock in unison when the shaft 29 is rotated. The crank arms 49, 51, and 52 are provided with a series of perforations 53 to receive the pivot pins by means of which the link 50 and connecting rod 48 are attached to said crank arms, to thereby increase or decrease the throw of said crank arms.

The respective crank arms 49, 51 and 52 are rigidly attached to rock shafts 55, 56 and 5'7, which are journaled to cross rails 58 extending downwardly from the table top. Outside of the rails 58 are rocker bars 61 and 62 attached rigidly to the opposite ends of the respective shafts 55, 56 and 57. Harness members 60 are attached to opposite ends of the rocker bars 61 at one side of the table by means of snap hooks or eyes, and extend upwardly through the recess 22 and over the rollers 25 at one side of 11.0

the table and across the patient being provided with a series of perforations to engage the tongue of a buckle. Harness members 63 are attached to opposite ends of the rocker members 62 by means of snap hooks or eyes, and extend upwardly through the recess 22 at the opposite side of the table top and over the rollers 25 therein and terminate in buckles 64, by means of which the harness members 60 and 63 are attached together across the patient. Pad members 65 are preferably interposed between the patient and the harness members. When any one of the rock shafts 55, 56, and 5'7 is rocked the pair of harness members at one end of the rocker bars carried thereby are moved in the direction of their length across the patient in one direction and the pair of harness members attached to the opposite end of said rocker bars are moved across the patient in the opposite direction, thereby stimulating the tissues and promoting and accelerating a flow of body fluids, both superficial and deep seated. By actuating two or more rock shafts at the same time a series of four, six or more harness members may be operated at one time and the stimulating effect extended to practically the entire trunk of the patients body.

The apparatus herein shown and described is capable of considerable modification within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. Vibratory apparatus comprising a patient supportingl member having arm engaging recesses in the lateral edges and near one end thereof, hand rests on said patient supporting member below said recesses, and power operated massage apparatus mounted on said patient supporting member with portions extending up over the latter and spaced from said recesses.

2. Vibratory apparatus comprising a patient supporting table top with arm engaging recesses in the lateral edges thereof, legs at the corners of and supporting said patient supporting table top, hand rests on said legs adjacent said recesses, and power operated massage apparatus mounted on said patient supporting member with portions extending up over the latter.

KARL H. WHITNEY. 

